Early Symptoms of Kidney Disease and How to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

The kidneys have very important role in the human body – they eliminate all the toxins from the human body and they purify the blood from all the toxic materials. If the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, then this can lead to accumulation of toxins in the body and it can cause some serious health problems. Almost 20 million people suffered from kidney problems in the United States for the last year, and this number is growing continuously.

Early Symptoms of Kidney Disease and How to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Kidneys perform many vital functions in the human body:

Water level balancing – the kidneys have the ability to balance the water levels in the human body, as they participate in the chemical breakdown of the urine. So, insufficient amounts of water can cause the kidneys to leave the water in the human body – instead of flushing it out.

Waste excretion – we all know that one of the main functions of the kidneys is to cleanse the body from toxins, salts and urea, a nitrogen based waste which is created due to the normal cell metabolism. This type of waste is created in the liver and transferred to the kidneys, though the blood stream, in order to be eliminated from the body.

Red blood cell regulation – if oxygen levels are low in the kidneys, it can lead to the creation of erythroprotein, a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to create more erythrocytes (oxygen carrying red blood cells).

Blood pressure regulation – the kidneys need a constant normal, blood pressure levels, in order to filter the human blood properly. So, low blood pressure can cause the kidneys to increase the blood pressure in the human body.

Acid regulation – this is another, extremely important function of the kidneys. They are responsible for acid balance in the human body, and as we all know – the acids are regular products of cell metabolism.

Kidney Diseases

There are many different causes and factors that can lead to kidney disease and failure, such as: diabetes, infection and hypertension. We can easily say that high blood pressure is one of the main causes of kidney disease and this is why you should try to keep the blood sugar and blood pressure levels normal. Well, kidney disease can also be developed cause of the gene factors, which means that if someone in your family has suffered from kidney failure, this means that you have high chances of getting kidney disease as well. We can also mention that frequent alcohol consumption, smoking, medications overuse or lack of physical activity can also lead to kidney problems.

Early Signs of Kidney Disease

Well, this is very bad, because the first symptoms or “early” signs of kidney disease actually appear in the late stages of the disease, or when there is almost a kidney failure or when there are excess proteins in the urine. Well, the common symptoms in early stages of this disease are usually unnoticeable. This is why most of the people don’t pay too much attention to them. According to the statistics, just 10 % of the patients with kidney disease know that they actually have a kidney problem. We can also say that the kidney get used to the infection very easily, which is usually how they lose their function.

Here are some of the most common signs and early symptoms of kidney failure:

Changes in urine color (for example, blood in the urine or frequency of urination)

Sleeping issues

Fatigue and lack of strength

Pain in the back, just above the waist (where the kidneys are)

Muscle cramps

Hiccups

Swollen legs or feet

Poor circulation

Lack of focus and mental clarity

Indigestion

Loss of appetite and metallic taste in the mouth

Nausea and vomiting

Loss of breath

Skin rash or chronic tingling

Note: if you notice any of these symptoms, then you should consult your doctor immediately!

How to prevent kidney disease and to improve the function of your kidneys?

As we mentioned before, kidney disease is a serious health issue and it can cause a number of health side effects and problems. This is why you should make some changes in your diet and lifestyle, in order to prevent any type of kidney disease from occurring.

What to change in nutrition:

You need to make sure you have a healthy and well balanced diet. Your healthy diet should be low in saturated fats and cholesterol. But, don’t starve, because your kidneys need enough amounts of calories to function properly. You should also limit the intake of salt and potassium, and you should consume plenty of apples, watermelon and berries. And, make sure you maintain a low protein diet. You should drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses every day.

Lifestyle changes:

Here’s what you need to do to keep your kidneys healthy – you should keep your blood pressure in normal levels, because it’s essential factor for proper kidney function. You should also take supplements in case of calcium and Vitamin D deficiency. Make sure you avoid analgesics and steroids, because they can damage your kidneys. Do regular physical activities in order to maintain healthy weight and reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity and hypertension. And, you should definitely limit the alcohol consumption and you should definitely quit smoking.

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